Holding Grudges
by D Willims
Summary: Hinata and Sasuke bond over a common enemy. Hinata, Sasuke friendship. 2 of 5.
1. I

**Disclaimer: I don't own the **_**Naruto**_** universe.  
Characters: Hinata, Sasuke  
Summary: Hinata and Sasuke bond over a common enemy.  
Rating: T  
A/N: This is part of a project involving the Rookie Nine and random events of their life, more information can be found on my author's page.  
A/N2: Reworked so that it could be continued.**

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**Holding Grudges: I**

"This is going to hurt." It wasn't an apology—it never was with Sasuke. And he wasn't asking permission either. Because Sasuke never did.

Hinata nodded her agreement, anyway, granted him permission.

Even as she did so, he grabbed her wrist, hard enough to bruise, and held her arm straight and steady. He began the meticulous process of removing the few shards of glass left behind in the gashes up and down her arm. His head was bowed so low over her arm that the coarse ends of his dark hair tickled the skin of her arm.

Gingerly, so as not to startle him, Hinata reached out with her free hand and pushed his bangs back behind his hair. "You don't want blood in your hair," she murmured quietly as an explanation.

Sasuke's dark eyes flickered up to her face and there was just the _tiniest_ bit of emotion there. And then he looked back at her arm, without saying a word. Hinata took that as his thanks, though.

The cold, intense silence that seemed to follow Sasuke fell over them. Hinata's free hand moved to fidget with the new hole in the knee of her ANBU uniform. It was perhaps the first time in her life she'd ever had a particularly strong urge to break the silence.

But it was Sasuke who broke the silence, surprisingly, with one little question, "Why?"

Hinata didn't need to ask for clarification, though. She knew what the question really was. Why had she, the head of the Hyūga clan, risked her family's name and reputation for him, the traitor and scourge of the ninja world? How could shy, quiet, little Hyūga Hinata put the Raikage through the Hokage's office window?

And Hinata wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. She could think of lots of answers she could give, and they'd all be half right but also not quite the truth.

Because he'd killed her uncle.

Because he'd spit on her family's sacrifice.

Because he'd insulted her Hokage.

"Because he didn't think I would," Hinata whispered, finally. "He thought I wouldn't make that sacrifice." She left the _for you_ off. It was too much for Sasuke, she was sure.

Sasuke didn't respond to that. He simply finished bandaging her arm and stood. "You need a real medic," and then he was gone.


	2. II

**Disclaimer: I don't own the **_**Naruto **_**universe.  
Characters: Hinata, Sasuke  
Summary: Hinata and Sasuke bond over a common enemy.  
Rating: T**

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**Holding Grudges: II**

Sasuke cornered Hinata in one of the bar's private booths. He'd pinned her (formerly) uninjured arm against the table, bashing her knuckles against the wood hard enough to gash them open. His other hand was pressed against the back of the booth to block her in. The Sharingan spun wildly, dangerously—blood red and black spiraling together.

Hinata was pressed back against the wall of the booth. One of her legs was folded awkwardly on the seat between them, providing some semblance of space.

"Was it worth getting barred from the hearings?" Sasuke demanded, leaning over her.

She found herself at a loss for words. The question wasn't an easy one to answer. Sasuke was obsessive and angry. He wanted to protect the name of his clan, but he had no idea how to play the politics involved. Hinata didn't think that he would fully understand what had happened.

"Let me go, please, Sasuke-kun," Hinata whispered finally. She kept her gaze trained on the folds of the dark curtain behind his shoulder and focused on breathing, keeping herself calm. One wrong move and the Uchiha was likely to do something dangerous. Well, more dangerous.

"You're dodging the question." Sasuke pressed closer to her. "Why?"

"I'm not. I-I won't." Slowly, carefully she reached her bandaged hand down towards the weapons pouch on her leg. One finger curled around the cool, metal ring of a kunai. "You're hurting me."

The Sharingan stopped its dizzy swirl instantly. Sasuke dropped her wrist like he'd been burned.

Hinata slid her newly freed hand into her lap. After a moment, when she was sure Sasuke wasn't going to threaten her any further, she let her grip loosen on the kunai.

Another moment passed before Sasuke settled into a more comfortable position, though still between her and the curtain. "Was it worth it?" he asked again, quieter and less threatening this time.

"I wasn't barred from the hearings," Hinata answered finally. She had practiced this; she had gone through this again and again with her clan, with the Hokage. But it felt somehow worse with Sasuke. Nervously, she twirled her index fingers around each other, as she had when she was younger and weaker. "It was too personal for me… so I removed myself before I could do further damage. But, yes, it was worth it."

There was a flash of something in Sasuke's eyes. If she didn't know him better, she'd swear it was hurt, betrayal. "What did he say to you?" he pressed further.

"Nothing," Hinata lied. The Raikage's words still echoed in her head, his judgment of her clan and Sasuke's clan and Konoha. It was too much for Sasuke to handle, though; it was too much for her. "It was personal, not important." She flinched and looked away, half expecting him to lash out. But when she looked up again, he had gone.


End file.
